Spotniks "Orange Blossom Special"

[Martin Page]

Slightly OT but The Beatles' In My Life solo was doubled up.

Martin.

[keithmantle]

I put a thread on here last year concerning OBS last year, i went to see the spotnicks at The Gaumont Wolverhamton about 63/4 and Bo was ill his replacement was Bruce Baxter who played a Guild Manhattan he had learn't to play OBS as per the record and did not know it had been 'doctored' the rest of the band thought he was that good they took him back to Sweden until Bo was fit !!

[almano]

Thanks for solving that riddle Didier, and for the extra info from Martin and Keith. Those Tandberg open reel recorders you mention Didier were very good machines and capable of high quality recordings. I seem to remember seeing photos of the Oriole Studios in the very early sixties where they were using (of all things) Vortexion tape recorders for mastering. So, recordings mastered on a domestic/semi pro Tandberg recorder would have easily been more than acceptable for Oriole to use for the Spotnik's "OBS".

There’s a good article about those Oriole studios in the fifties and sixties on the Robert Farnon web site – its fascinating reading just to see what equipment they used to produce some of the big selling hits of the day!

One thing though is the question of the avoidance of that “Pinky and Perky” squeaky sound so associated with speeded up recordings in those days. When Bo Winberg played the lead melody, was it played on say the 5th and 6th strings etc, on the slow speed part of the recording process to make it sound like he was playing it half way up the fret board on the higher strings when it was played back at the ‘correct’ speed.

Or, did he use a baritone guitar instead to make it sound like a normal Strat when it was played back at the intended speed?

Cheers,

Alan.

[chas]

The technique of using speeded up parts also reminds me of The Dakotas 'Cruel Sea' (& some of their other tracks) where a second melody line was recorded at half speed - sometimes leading guitarists to wonder whether they were hearing a 12 string, or an added piano line or something...it made for an effective sound - I wonder who's idea it was?

Chas.

[ecca]

Les Paul had been doing for donkey's years.

[ecca]

The technique of using speeded up parts also reminds me of The Dakotas 'Cruel Sea' (& some of their other tracks) where a second melody line was recorded at half speed - sometimes leading guitarists to wonder whether they were hearing a 12 string, or an added piano line or something...it made for an effective sound - I wonder who's idea it was?

Chas.

It was a guitar and piano.... guitar speeded up.
The guitar and piano idea was prevalent at the time and was on one or two Billy J Kramer records.

[Didier]

did he use a baritone guitar instead to make it sound like a normal Strat when it was played back at the intended speed?

Alan,

No need of a baritone guitare for OBS, there is no notes low enough to need one. All of the tune can be played at half speed with a normal guitar.

Didier

[cockroach]

OK, it was, and is, an interesting effect and sound, but it's essentially a recording technique based effect....

And as it's virtually impossible for most players to play that fast (although the chaps in the Hellecasters and few other guitar prodigies like Tommy Emmanuel, Martin Taylor, Albert Lee and George Benson CAN play that fast- and I have seen some of them play at that tempo live!) I still think it's a bit like cheating however! I always liked OBS by the Spotnicks, but when I tried to learn the tune at the recorded speed years later, it was obvious that it wasn't really happening, even using fingerpicking technique!

[bob t]

Just listening to the Spotnik’s version of “Orange Blossom Special” once again, and I was left wondering – did Bo Winberg use fingers or a “pick” to play those notes so cleanly and at that speed?

Hi Alan,

OBS was recorded at half speed on Bo Winberg's own Tandberg open reel recorder.



When I got the record back in 1962, I was surprised by the tone and the playing speed. I had at home an open reel tape recorder, so I recorded it at 7.5 ips et listened to it at 3.75 ips. Suddenly the tone and playing speed were back to normal ! The trick was discovered...

A few years ago, Peter Korving recorded it the same way and posted it on this site, you can listen to it here : http://www.4shared.com/audio/Juguo-SH/O ... Peter.html

Didier

Only just read this topic and was surprised to see the Tandberg tape recorder,

You wouldn't believe but I've got one of those still in workingorder

Bob T

[Didier]

I saw the Spotnicks twice on stage in Dombasle (France), in 2006 and 2008. OBS was played by Douglas Moller, the second lead guitarist, not by Bo Winberg !
As far as I know, Douglas Moller is not anymore with the Spotnicks.

Didier